Turvess
A planet in the Belon's Rift cluster, the homeworld - and currently only world - of the raloi. Multiple competing nations and cultures are found on Turvess. These include the Republic of Honne, the Empire of Fala'Haartek, the Keelon Confederacy, Z'Jhada, Zutso, Nazan, Pas, Alconatir Framk, and the Levankh. Many of these are part of the United Coalition Diplomatic, analogous to the old United Nations on Earth. Flora Plants in the region of Z'Jhada include the following, all of which have medicinal value: * Kaanot (flowering) * Najdat (pulp inside the leaves can numb pain when rubbed onto the skin) * Shanaka (the leaves are used to make a tea that induces vomiting) * Vikiano Cactus (the spines, when dried and ground into a fine powder, can help disinfect wounds.) History Turvess was charted by elcor and asari some centuries ago. Being a pre-spaceflight world, it was monitored periodically but not contacted. The raloi launched their first space telescope in 2184 CE, and spotted the asari cruiser Azedes in their star system. The asari initiated first contact, and the raloi were formally welcomed into the galactic community the following year. Tickets for the Council’s sponsored ships sold out months in advance. These ships arrived at Turvess bearing visitors and gifts of good will. Due to disease concerns, no other ships were legally allowed planetfall at the time. A comm buoy near Turvess was dedicated to sending welcome messages to the planet for twenty galactic standard hours. It didn't go entirely smoothly. The introduction of a krogan sport called kowla devolved into a brawl that left three dead and fourteen injured. In response, the krogan were ejected from the rest of the ceremonies. The krogan representatives denounced the ejection, saying that kowla was successfully introduced to Turvess “with its traditions fully intact”, and that there was no need to overreact. A poll taken among the raloi indicated that only 21% opposed the move to remove the krogan. When the celebrations on Turvess had ended, a raloi delegation was sent to the Citadel for a three-month stay. The delegates were educated in interstellar law, history, alien biology and culture, and the rudiments of mass effect physics. Due to an outbreak of H7N7 flu virus during the opening ceremonies on Turvess, the raloi on the Citadel wore environmental suits whenever they were in contact with other species. Reaper War Unwilling and unable to fight the Reapers, the raloi decided to isolate themselves on Turvess and destroy any satellites and observation equipment in orbit around their planet. They hoped that the Reapers would see them as a pre-spaceflight civilization and spare their world from attack. Upon leaving the Citadel, Representative Ari'ka said in parting, "We have no wish to battle those who have yet to wrong us, nor have we the capability." Turvess indeed made it through the war unscathed, though its fate was unknown to the galaxy at large for several years. Post-War A couple of years post-war, the relay network allowed access to Turvess once more, and it was confirmed that the planet survived intact. It was time to decide the planet's political future as a part of the galactic community. By all accounts, politics on the surface remained bitterly fragmented, with much discord between nation-states and supranational alliances, rendering a unified decision unlikely. It was known that many factions of the raloi had been and remained hostile to Citadel-space interests. The so-called Expeditionary Faction, for example, was an insular, repressive body composed of fundamentalist theocracies, slaving states, and former empires. These groups became the face of anti-Citadel sentiment, rejecting continuance of the first post-war Illian-Citadel mission within Belon’s Rift during closed diplomatic sessions with Council and Illium representatives. It was also responsible, along with other conservative factions, for the mission’s removal, asserting that the Rift, long a zone of asari interest, was sovereign raloi territory. In order to preserve future diplomatic relations both parties agreed to withdraw their flotillas to their sides of the relevant relay and remain alert for signs of pirate or slaver incursions. Furthermore, they didn’t contest the purchase of defensive orbital platforms and support personnel from third party planet-states such as Altakiril and Erinle. Yet there also remained a great deal of support for the Asari Republics and the Citadel as a whole, particularly with regards to raloi relations to Illium. A substantial portion of the multinational organization known as the United Coalition Diplomatic was in favour of instituting free and open trade between asari space and the Rift. Though their efforts were initially largely stymied by the Expeditionary Faction, the political tides were soon turning. A Citadel peacekeeping station was placed in orbit with support from these factions. As noted by Akasho Jalin, a spokesperson from the UCD: “Not all of us have so lightly forgotten the wonder of our First Contact, not the good fortune we had in meeting a nation so amenable to peaceful relations, and certainly not the advancement and aid they freely provided. While our decision to withdraw from the galaxy in fear and cowardice remains a source of shame for our entire species, we are both grateful and overjoyed to have been given a second opportunity to reach out.” In a rare showing of joint support, both Omega and the Citadel issued diplomatic visas and letters of passage to citizens of Turvess, granting raloi delegations from the surface access to both the Greater Terminus and Citadel Space. In contradiction to their isolationist policies, no few were claimed by representatives of the Expeditionary Faction. The Council peacekeepers in their orbital station faced competition soon enough. Member states of the Expeditionary Faction received several foreign dignitaries to their world from the Na’Hesit worlds of the Batarian Confederacy. In a move that many political commentators had expected, the slave-holding batarian nobles were extending their hand for their slaver peers in Belon’s Rift, and were being reciprocated. Said batarian noblewoman Igmar Lognek to the press: "The raloi have just begun their return to the galactic community, and it is our duty to assist them in keeping Turvess for turvessians - lest they fall prey to the dominance of decadent cultural imports of Thessia and the like." Threads and Posts Turvess reopened: The forum discusses the planet's potential future. Shaart Klarkoi, a native, returns home: With a hanar colleague in tow. Imminent War?: The political situation continues to be tense on-planet. A Season For Giving: A short follow-up on a location introduced in Shaart's homecoming, a few years on. Biotic Raloi Boom: Concerns are raised about eezo stockpiles. Category:Locations Category:Homeworlds